Little Lagoon Pass is one of several areas in Gulf Shores where officials want to use environmental grant money for improvements. (file photo)

GULF SHORES, Alabama -- City officials hope that part of $1 billion in Gulf Coast environmental grants will mean up to $24 million for beach renourishment, public water access, improved parking and other projects in the municipality.

Each of the five Gulf States will receive $100 million for projects in that area. The rest of the money will be distributed by the federal government. The money was supplied by BP PLC for environmental projects following the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill, according to project reports.

Proposed Gulf Shores projects include buying about 65 acres between Little Lagoon and Oyster Bay, improved parking at Lagoon Pass, parking and rest room facilities at the 10th Street beach access site and dune walkovers and other improvements at Gulf Place at the base of Ala. 59, Franklin said.

The city has also applied in a joint project with Orange Beach and the Alabama Gulf State Park for money for beach renourishment, he said.

Mayor Robert Craft said the projects will be good for the environment and the city.

"The public access that this would allow on the lagoon that we do not have," Craft said. "The enhancements to Gulf Place, the beach renourishment, all of these things can be of significant benefit of our being able to enjoy the environment and us having access to it."

Officials do not know when the grants will be approved, Craft said.

"The state of Alabama has $100 million to distribute for these kind of projects within the state, so it will have to reach to the top and be recommended by the state and then they have to present it to a federal panel to be sure it fits the eligibility issue," Craft said at the council meeting.

A breakdown of projects and costs proposed by Gulf Shores in the city application includes:

On Fort Morgan Road, city officials have proposed buying 65 acres that includes the former site of the Callaway Campgrounds, Franklin said. The project would cost $4 million, according to the application.

The land includes 900 feet of shoreline on Little Lagoon and 350 feet of shore on Oyster Bay.

"This has property both on Lagoon and also on Oyster Bay," Franklin said. "That would be a great chance to create some habitat restoration projects there, and to maintain wetlands that are there."

The Gulf Place project would make the existing parking spots into green spaces and allow new parking areas to be installed on Ala. 182. The work would also include walkways to allow visitors to go to the beach without damaging the dunes. The cost estimate for that project is $2.5 million.

The 10th Street access would develop parking, dune walkovers and rest rooms on a 100-foot right of way owned by the city at a cost of $1.2 million.

At Little Lagoon Pass, city officials would add parking and preserve wetlands at the municipal park site on the east side of the waterway at a cost of $1.6 million.

Gulf Shores, Orange Beach and state park officials have also requested $14.7 million for Gulf beach restoration work to add sand along 17.4 miles of coastline.

In other action at the Monday night meeting, the council recognized four firefighters.

Lieutenants Fred Van Cor and Mike Higgins received commendations upon their retirement from the department. Van Cor retired after 19 years as a volunteer and then paid firefighter. Higgins had been with the department for 24 years.

George Surrey, battalion chief and fire marshal, was recognized for 25 years of service with the department.